1. BeyondSkilling:CatalyzingTalent
49
,
SAVITRI
Deshpande Susandhi Fellowship Program (Frontline Management)
Alumna, 2016
Educational qualification
First generation learner
Pre-DET monthly household income
Sector of employment
Hailing from
Working in
BA
Yes
Rs. 9,000
Belgaum
Before DET After DET
15,000
9,000
Salary Increment (INR):
Sales
Belgaum
I learnt a lot from DET.
All that I know and that
I have a job, it is all
because of DET.
STUDENT PROFILE AND IMPACT POST-DET
DET’s approach to pedagogy is based not on bombarding
students with information, but on creating an engaging
and lively environment in which students feel relaxed
and yet imbibe key learnings. Savitri recalls a learning
activity that was particularly memorable to her, in which
students were tasked with an assignment to take a selfie
of a beautiful person. She remembers how students
went around the class asking people they thought were
beautiful if they could take a selfie with them. In the
end, the trainer posed a shocking question - why had
they not taken a selfie of themselves? For Savitri, this
question prompted an empowering realization of how
much she undervalued herself and the need to change
her perceptions.
Apart from improving her spoken English skills and being
exposed to digital technology and software, Savitri credits
DET with changing her at a deeper level – imbuing her
with a newfound sense of self esteem, the ability to take
initiative and problem-solve, and last but the not least, a
conviction that transformative change is possible if she
works hard.
Productive Careers: A happier place
Savitiri’s first job on graduating was a sales role at a
financial organization. She did not, however, enjoy this
and decided to leave after two months. With support
from the DET team, she was placed at a healthcare
organization – maintaining patient records and guiding
patients. Having joined as a Service Executive, she has
now been promoted to Service Head.
Her job involves counseling patients and motivating them
to continue treatment. Both tasks allow her to apply the
various motivation techniques she learnt at DET. Today
Savitri earns more than she ever thought possible
and has been able to support her family. “We are on
track with paying off the loan,” she says, smiling. While
the quantifiable impact of increased income is clearly
evinced, what shines through is the immeasurable impact
of DET’s effort in facilitating the growth of a confident
young woman.
WHAT WORKED FOR SAVITRI
DSF
“With a lot of dedication to the work they
do, Deshpande Educational Trust’s fellows
have proved themselves to be patient,
calm and highly professional individuals.”
- Emmanual, Homeocare International
Pvt. Ltd.
• English communication
• Basic computing skills
• Critical thinking
• Risk-taking
BIG DREAMS, BIG STEPS
When family income drops, why does the
girl-child suffer the most in terms of educa-
tion and quality of life? DET’s intervention
shows Savitri a way out of this situation and
presents her with a new set of opportunities.
“Marriages are expensive affairs,” says Savitri pensively.
“My sister’s marriage took a big toll on our family.
Overnight we had a Rs 70,000 loan which had to be
paid off.” Her family, consisting of five members, lived
mostly off the income brought in by agriculture. Their
village of Chikkodi offered no opportunities for any other
kind of occupation, with most subsisting on smallholder
agriculture.
A topper in her school and college, Savitri was one of the
most promising students in her village, even receiving
awards for social work for her role in supporting the
building of toilets in the village. Already a BA graduate,
she aspired to study further and complete her MA.
There is considerable evidence ssuggesting that in BOP
families, a girl’s education is more affected by family
income volatility than that of boys. In Savitri’s case, as
well, her family asked her to put her studies on hold and
work to help pay off the loan. “I had to find a job quick,”
she says. It was at this time that the DET team came to
her college to talk about the program. Seeing a unique
opportunity to quickly get a job and help her family,
Savitri decided to join the DSF program.
The DET Experience: New roads to be crossed
Her low-income background notwithstanding, Savitri found
that life at DET presented a new set of challenges that she
had never experienced before. “I was sharing a bathroom
with 13 other girls. It was something I had taken for granted
at home.” At DET, the residential nature of the course is
designed deliberately to ensure that students develop the
ability to cope with high levels of pressure and rigor. As a
teaching method, it has been found to be more effective
than any theory class on discipline or time management.
“As a girl-child, I was always taught that
my needs should come last. At DET, I
learnt to value myself and my goals – after
all, if I don’t, who will?”
